Snubber



Feb. 5, 1946. b. M. LIGHT l 2,394,082

SNUBBER Filed oct. so, 1942 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

` Patented Feb-5, 1946 OFFICE SNUBBER David M. Light,Y Chicago, Ill.,'assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a. corporationof'New Jersey Apbiicationoctcberso, 1942, serial No. 463,954

- 2o claims.

My invention relates to friction absorbing devices and more particularlyVto such a device com-.

monly called a snubber which, when associated witha group or nest ofsprings, serves to dampen the vibrations thereof in suchmanner as tosubstantially eliminate harmonic vibrationsV of said springs. y

My novel snubber is particularly designed for applicationrto a coilspring vgroup affording support for the bolster of a railway car truckWherein said snubber may be substituted for one or more of the coilsprings constituting said group as desired. It will, however, beunderstood that my novel snubber or friction absorbing .device may beused for any analogous purpose to which it is suited.

A specific object of my invention is to` devise a snubber such as abovedescribed in which a pair of followers are in frictional engagement witha plurality of' associated friction shoesVthe shoesv being urged into.said engagement by means Aof a novel spring seat casting in wedgeengagement with the shoes, said casting affording a seat for anassociated spring sleeved over one of said followers and afforded a seatagainst a flange thereon.

A further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement such asabove described in which the follower over which the` above-describedspringis sleeved is splitintoa plurality of segments whereby eachof saidsegments may be urged into frictional engagement with said spring bymeans of the friction shoes above described.

Still another object of my invention is to de visejin combination withthe above-described snubber aV novel meansV for retaining the device inassembly on the release stroke thereof, said means comprising a memberreceived through aligned passages in the spaced followers and inV thespring seat casting and said member having at opposite ends thereofmeans for abutment with respective followers in order to limit theirmovement away from each other on the release stroke. Still anotherobject of my invention is to de sign a novel spring seat castingcomprising a ringlike base having an opening therethrough Vfor thereceptionzof an associated follower and affording about the marginthereof a-seat for an associated spring, andsaid spring seat castingalso comprising an integral yoke or bridge spanning said opening andcomprising wedge surfacesv for engagement with associated frictionshoes, said bridge being provided with an opening for the reception ofthe securing member above described.4

'Inxthedrawings, f

sleeved over the pedestals Figure 1 is ,a side view off my novelsnubber, the left half thereof being a view in felevation andthe righthalf thereof being a sectional view taken substantially in a verticalplane bisecting the snubber as indicated by the line l-l of Figure 2,and Figure 2 is a top view ofthe structure shown in Figure 1, therlefthalf thereof beinga4 plan view, and the right half thereof being asectionalview taken inthe plane indicated by the line2-2 of Figure 1.` Y

FiguresB, 4 and 5 show inldetailvmy novel form of spring seat casting,vFigure 3 being a side elevation taken from a shoe engaging facethereof, Figure 4 being a plan view taken fromr the top as seen inFigure 3, and Figure v5 being a sectional View taken substantially intheplane indicated by the line 5&-5 of Figure 4; Y Describing my inventionin detail, alfollower 2,

here shown as a top follower, is divided orA splitV into a plurality ofsubstantially identical segments or friction members 4, 4l In themodification shown, thefollower 2 comprises a pair of segments 4, 4cooperating with a pair of friction shoeshereinafter more fullydescribed, but it will be readilyunderstood by those skilledcin the artthat if desired, said follower 2 may be split orV divided into three ormore segments 4, 4 each cooperating withv an associated frictionv shoe.Each of thesegmentsf4 comprises a b'as'eflaf-u fordingr a seat asat 8(Figure 1)r for. an associated supporting fmember, 'such as a bolster of5a railway car truck, said seatbeing tapered at |'0j to afford arockingmovement of saidsupported member. Each base on the edge thereof adjacent'the Ybase on the other segment. 4'is, provided with a depression l2affording convenient means forthe reception of positioning means on theassociated supported member, and the base 6 is also provided on saidedgea recess l4- to affordclearance lfor an associated securing member in amanner hereinafter more fully described. Projecting angularly from thebase 6 of each segment 4 is a pedestal or friction stem I6 kcomprisingon the inner surface thereof a diagonal V-shaped friction face I8relieved as at 20 in the customary manner to prevent the Wearing of a4`shoulder thereon, said face being in complemen tary engagement as at 22with a friction shoel generally designated 24, and on thev opposite sidethereof'the pedestal I6 is providedwith anarcuate friction surface 26 in4'complementary frictional engagement as at `28 withthe coil Vspring 30-Y I6, I6 and conveniently formedwith a flat surface to accommodatey,theabove-mentioned frictional eng-agement at'.l 2.8.

2fr Q Y 2,394,082 Y TF1 s;

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be As here shown the springis formed asVV an octagonal bar, but it will be readily understood thatsaid spring may be of any desired section. The spring 31D is seated atthe upper end thereof as at AY32 against flanges 34, 34 on therespective segments 4, 4 of the top follower, and said spring 30 isseated at the bottom thereof as at 36 on the base 38 of my novelspringseat casting generally designated 49 and shown in detail in Figures 3 to5 inclusive. Y

My novel spring seat casting may be formedof` any suitable materialvsuch as iron or steel and may -be provided with the before-mentionedbasek 38, said base being a generally ring-like disc pro- Y V vided withanopening 42 therethrough and serv- 15 ing a purpose hereinafter morefully described.

' At opposite sides of the opening 42 spaced legs 44, -44 projectangularly from the base VV38, and integrally formedwith. the ends ofsaid legs remote from said base is a transverse web 46'presentingY onvthe surface thereof facing the base 38 the:k oppositely directeddiagonal frictionv surfaces 50, 5B fort/edge engagement as at 52, 52(Figure 1)"With the friction shoes 24, 24. The Web A 481-isformedwith-an opening 54 therethrough 25 formed'andV arranged for thereception of an associated securing member serving to retain the snubberin assembly on the release stroke thereof, yas-hereinaiter more fullydescribed. It'may Vbe noted thatfthe web 46 may be formed of anyk 30convenient ksection affording the before-mentioned diagonal frictionsurfaces 50, however, the

Y 'V-sectionshown is regarded as preferably inaffording a relativelylight and suitably strong structure for the purpose. It may be notedfrom a consideration of Figures 3 to 5 inclusive that the web 46 and thespaced legs 44, 44 connecting said web tothe base/38 form a yoke orbridge designated 56 (Figure 3').

A bottom follower generally designated 58 com- 4 engagement Wi prisesthe substantially annular plate-like Ibase eaifording a seat as at62"(Figure 1)"'forv the snubber upon anY associated supporting, member,`

thejbase 60'- being tapered at64 to afford Varock- 45 ingmovement forthesnubber onthe seat 62 and theibase 60 `comprises the opening 6E'therethrough, said openingl communicating withl the chamberi' formed'within vthe hollow projection 1 6 extending upwardly from the base 60;4'said projectionr comprising on opposite "sides thereof friction facesin complementary diagonal face en;v gagementfat 12, 12' with therespective' friction shoes24,'24.f Y

Means is provided for retaining the snubber in assembled relationship onthe release strokev thereof, said; means comprising a bolt orl otherYsuitable' member T4 extending through'the passages i4 and 54 through thetop follower' and0 the web 46 of the spring seat casting respectively,said bolt also extending between the friction shoes 24, 24 and beingaffor edclearance therefrom by means of recesses therein indicated at16, 16

(Figure 2), and said bolt also extending throughY an 'opening 18 theprojection 10' formed onv 65 v the base 60 of' the bottom followerli8.vThe bolt vis provided with a head 86 adapted to engage the baseB of eachsegment 4'of the top follower as at 82 (Figure l) within the depressionor recess f2, and the bolt is afforded a .nut 84 ory othery convenient:securing means on the opposite end thereof adapted'to engage theprojection 10 of the bottom followerV 58 s at 86.' I-t will beunderstood,that if desired, the nut 84- may be secured limited by theexact embodiment of the device shown whichis merely by way ofillustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the devicewill, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: l

l. yIn. a friction absorbing device, atop follower 0 divided into aplurality of segments eachpresenting an inner diagonal V-shaped frictionface and an outer arcuate friction surface, a plurality of shoes eachengaging one of said faces, a spring seat member comprising a yoke indiagonal face engagement with the tops of said shoes, and a spring seatintegrally formed with the bottom'of saidryoke, an opening through saidseat, a coil spring sleeved. over said top follower in frictionalengagement with the segments thereof and seat- 2 ed at opposite endsthereof against means on v divided. into a plurality of segmentseachpresenting an inner diagonal V-shaped friction face and an outerarcuate'friction surface,` a plurality of wedges each engagingv one' ofsaid faces, afspring; seat memberV comprising a yoke in diagonal faceengagement with the tops of said wedges, and a spring seat integrallyformed with the bottom of said yoke, an opening through said seat,V acoil spring sleeved overv said topi followertinrfrictional th thesegments thereof and seat-y ed at opposite ends thereof'against means onsaid segments and against said seat, and a bottom follower extendingthroughsaid opening in diagonal face engagement'with said wedges. f. i

3. In a friction absorbing device, al follower divided into a pluralityof segments each having an ,inner friction face and an outerfrictionsurface, friction'shoesin engagem-ent'withV respective e faces,ayoke in diagonal face engagementwith corresponding ends of said shoes, aring-like base on saidyoke affordingV a springv seat, another followersleeved within said Ybase andI in' diagonal face engagement with theVoppositeends of said shoes, and a coil spring Vsleeved oversaid-splitfollower in frictionalengagement with said surfaces andseatedat opposite ends thereof against said spring seat and againstmeans on the segmentsof said split follower.r Y

4. In a friction absorbing device, a follower comprising internalVfriction surfaces, friction shoes in engagement with respectivel -of`saidY surfaces, a member comprising a yoke in diagonal Y face engagementwiththe adjacent ends of said shoes, and a base on said yokeVvaffordingV a spring seat, an openingvv through said base,anotherfollowe-r projecting through said opening' in diagonal faceengagement with the opposite ends of said shoes, and a compressionspringabutting" Said seat and bearing againstV the first-mentioned follower,said spring being sleeved over said firstmentioned follower; l

ein a friction absorbance-vica arfouowerl Y divided into a plurality ofsegments-each having `by any` convenient meansvsuch as by weldingY or75, an internal friction face 'and 'external friction f bypeenngthe endof the bolt, i surface, friction means in engagement with respective ofsaid faces, a. member in wedge engagementl .with said `friction meansand affording a spring seat, resilientmeans sleeved over said dividedfollower in frictional engagement with said surfaces `and in abutmentwith Asaid seat and with seating means on said segments, and meansassociated with said friction means for moving the same against saidvfaces and affording a seat for the device.

6. Inv a friction absorbing device, a follower divided into a pluralityof segments, a plurality of frictionshoes betweensaid segments andv infrictional 'engagement therewith, Wedgemeans engagedwithopposite .endsof said shoes to urge said Vshoes into said engagement, lone ofv saidwedgel means affording a spring'seat and the other of said wedge meansaffording a seat for the device, and resilient means sleeved over saidsegments in frictional engagement therewith and seated at opposite endsagainst said spring seat and said segments.

7. In afriction absorbing device, a follower n comprising internalfriction surfaces, friction shoes there-between in engagement withrespective of said surfaces, a member comprising a yoke in diagonal faceengagement with the adjacent ends of said shoes, and a base on said yokeaffording a spring seat, an opening through said base, another followerprojecting through said opening in diagonal face engagement with theopposite ends of said shoes, and a spring abutting said seat and undercompression between said seat and the first-mentioned follower.

8. h1 a friction absorbing device, a follower comprising internalfriction surfaces, friction shoes engaged therewith, a member in wedgeengagement with corresponding ends of said shoes and affording a springseat, another follower in wedge engagement with the opposite ends ofsaid shoes and affording a seat for the device, and resilient meansabutting said spring seat and means on the first-mentioned follower,said resilient means being sleeved over said first-mentioned follower.

9. In a friction absorbing device, a follower having internal frictionsurfaces, friction shoes engaged therewith, a member in wedge engagementwith said shoes and affording a spring seat, resilient means sleevedover said follower and abutting said seat `and means on said follower,and a spaced follower in wedge engagement with said shoes and affordinga seat for one end of said device,'the first-mentioned follower beingsplit into a plurality of segments to afford frictional engagementthereof with said resilient means.

10. In a friction absorbing device, a compression spring, a splitfollower affording a seat therefor and presenting internal frictionsurfaces therewithin, friction shoes engaging said surfaces, a yokemember affording a seat for the opposite end of said spring and havingwedge means bearing against the ends of said shoes remote from saidlast-mentioned seat, another follower in wedge engagement with the nearends of said shoes, and securingmeans extending between said followers.

l1. In a friction absorbing device, spaced followers affording seats foropposite ends of said device, one being split into a plurality ofsegments, friction shoes each in engagement with both followers, amember in wedge engagement with said shoes, and resilient means sleevedover said split follower and seated thereagainst and against saidmember, said resilient means being in frictional engagement with saidsegments.

i12. In a snubber,' al compression spring, a followerV seated.thereagainst 'and presenting there- W'ithinlopposedv frictionsurfaces,` friction shoes engaging said.l surfaces, a wedge castingaffording aseat forthe opposite endrof said spring and having wedgeengagement with; the ends of said shoes remote from Asaid last-mentionedseat, another follower in wedge engagement with the lopposite ends vofjsaid `shoes, and securing means extendingthroughlsaid casting and saidfollowers.

, 13.; In'afsnubber, a .compression spring present.. ing inter-nalfriction surfaces,^a follower affording a seat for one end `of saidspring` and having arcuatewalls extending therewithin for engagementwith saidsurfaces, said walls presenting. internal friction faces;`friction shoes engaging said faces; amember affording .a seat :fortheoppositeend of :said spring and `having `wed-geengagement Vwith theends of said shoes remote from said lastmentioned seat, a followerabutting the opposite ends of said shoes, and retaining means betweensaid followers.

14. In a. snubber, a compression spring presenting internal frictionsurfaces, a follower affording a seat for one end of said spring andhaving arcuate walls extending therewithin for engagement with saidsurfaces, said walls presenting internal friction faces, friction shoesengaging said faces, a member affording a seat for the opposite end ofsaid spring and having wedge engagement with the ends of said shoesremote from said` last-mentioned seat, a follower in wedge engagementwith the opposite ends of said shoes, and retaining means lbetween saidfollowers, the engaging faces betweensaid shoes and said first-mentionedfollower being along inclined V-shaped areas.

15. In a snubber, a compression spring, a split follower seated againstsaid'spring and presenting friction walls therewithin in engagementtherewith, friction shoes engaging said Walls, a member affording a seatfor the opposite end of said spring and in wedge yengagement with theends of said shoes remote from said last-mentioned seat, anotherfollowerin wedge engagement with the near ends of said shoes, and securing meansbetween said followers.

16. In a friction absorbing device, a compression spring, a splitfollower affording a seat therefor and presenting friction wallstherewithin, wedge means in diagonal face engagement with said walls, amember affording a seat for the opposite end of said spring and in Wedgeengagement with like ends of said Wedge means, an opening in saidmember, a spaced follower projecting through said opening in wedgeengagement with the opposite ends of said wedge means, and securingmeans for said device, closingof said device being operative to urgesaid wedge means against said walls. Y

17. In a snubber, a compression spring presenting internal frictionareas, a split top follower seated against one end of said spring withwalls therewithin, shoes having wedge engagement with said walls, aspring support member abutting the opposite extremity of said springwith wedge means engaging the ends of said shoes remote lower in wedgeengagement with the opposite ends of said shoes, and securing means forsaid followers.

18. In a snubber, a split top follower having internal friction facesand external friction surfaces, shoes in wedge engagement withrespective of said faces, a member in wedge engagement withcorresponding ends of said shoes and from said extremity, a bottomfolends againsty saidJseat seat, a. octtomafonower .in

wedge engagement with the `opposite ends Yofyseicl shoes, `and'resilientY means sleeved over Ysaid split follower and 1 in 'frlctlonalengagement with. .the external surfaces thereof and seated, at oppositeand'rsaidtop follower. f 19.111 a; snwbber, a. compression spring preseating'internalfrietioniareas, a split top follower seated yagainst oneendo! saidspring with wells therewithin, Vslices 'having wedgeengagement witnseid walls, efsprlng support. memberrebutting. Ytheopposite extremity oifsaid spring with wedgemeans engaging .the ends ofsaid shoes remote from said extremity, a follower in Wedgeengagementwith the-opposite ends of said shoes, and'secrlng memesforisaid, followers, reciprocal movement between said followers beingoperative to wedgesaid shoes against said walls and urge 10 wedge'meansengaging the therealong Y, x

`tlzle'seme into 4:fictional engagement iwitn said spring; saidWalls'lraving inner surfaces diverging toward said .bottomifollowen z Y`20; Inra, snubber, a compression spring vpreV 15 V-Vshaped tapering.friction surfaces and relieved areas aboveisaidrsurfaces, to accomodatewear DAVID M'. Liam. r

